Vending machine



April 24, 1928.

. 1 1,666,884 R. S. ARTHUR VENDING MACHINE Filed Jan. 15, 1925 2 Sheets-Shet 1 N ATTORNEY A ril 24, 1928. 1,666,88

R. S. ARTHUR VENDING MACHINE Filed Jan. 15, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet. 2

J9 I 2 ""42 I v 'R ATTORNEY air Patented Apr. 24, 1928.

UNITED STATES 'PAT -NroF icE.

rennan s. ARTHUR, or miw You, N..Y.-, ASSIGNOR 'ro m rror. rrwnuc'rs 1110.,

' ,acoarom'rmn or nawmnsnv- I vimnnm MACHINE.

A pplication filedlanuary 1-5, 1925.. senarir'o. 2,551.

Among the principal 7 objects. which the presentinvention has in view are: To provide locked containers for vendable 'arti cles adapted to befireleasedfforthe delivery of said articles when equipped with a monetary coin of predetermined value; to lock the coin-operated mechanism in the releasing po sition thereof; and to'retain'th'e cointherein until the vendor container is "replaced in vending position; "to provide a releas'ing mechanism operable when equippedwi'th a suitable coin to release the container forthe vendible article, and a key released mechanism for locking thev releasing. mechanism in releasing position; to provide a'machine of the character mentioned having unit operating devices arranged, and constructed so that the machine may be enlarged 01' diminished at will; and to simplify and cheapen the construction.

'1 Drawings.

Figure 1 is a front face View of a frag ment of a vending machine constructed and arranged in accordance with the present invention, said machine employing two Vending units, one unit bein closed as in service, and theother opened For the'extra ct-ion' 01 the vended article'therefrom. 3

Figure 2 is a vertical sectionof a vending unit and the back support therefor, the section being taken on the line'22 in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a bottom view of the'releasing mechanism'of one of the vending units said unit being removed from the' supporting panel. v v I Figure 4 is a section taken on the line 44 in Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a detail view illustrating the" second step in the movemento'f the coin container as progressing from the position shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings.

Figure 6 shows a further and final position of the coin container and" coin illustrating the position in which thecontaine'r is locked against a return thereof.

Figure 7 is a vertical section of the mechanism showing the parts in position to look I the cover of the receptacles in closed position.

Figure 8 is a similar View showing the parts in the position assumed thereby after releasing the cover oft-he receptacle.

Figure 9 is a detail vview of the key operated barrel for locking the cover of the receptacle.

travelers when packing.

, ings.

F igure'10 is a perspective view showing a mod fied form of construction for covering the bottom of the casing for holding the operating mechanism.

Description. The apparatus herein disclosed is employed principally for u'i'veying articl'esof personal use and of t 1e general character of articles which are often overlooked b Theapparatus is therefore used principally in hotels and in railway trains; steamshipsfetc. For this purpose a rackf isprovided which is attached 'to the standing structure in any suitable manner, but generally in such wise as that the fastening ,devices'employed are covered by the receptacles of the vending machine.

At designed intervals, perforations are i formed in the rack 15 to'r'eceive screws 16.

The screws 16 have threads which enga e threads in the said perforations. v e th-rea'dedshank of the screws 16 pass through perforations in theback each receptacle .17 The receptacles 17 havea swingin cover 18w'h-ich is pivotally connected with t e stationary portion of thereceptacle 17 b rivets 19. The top of the receptacle 17 an of the cover 18 are hemispherical in form and the rivets 19 aredispose'd inline with the axis of the globe shape thus formed. "It is, because of this that the upper wall of the cover 18 moves freely past but in juxtaposed relation to the globular-wall of the-"receptacle/U.

the receptacle in which the article to be purveyed is displayed. The article referred .to

is normally heldin the receptacle by locking I the cover 18 in closed position.

. 96 The cover 18 has a back 21 to hold aglass 22 and an advertising. or display member I such as asheet of paper abutting the .glass and back. 22. The cover 18 is locked in closed position by alatch head 23. 7

1 The latch head 23 is fixedlymounted o a rocker'arm 24, the ends 25 and26 of which bear slightly upon the, eripheryof a rotary disk 27,1'when the en s 25 and 26' of the, rocker arm are equidistant from the pivot 28 of the disk 27, asseen inFig. 3 of the draw- The latch head 23 extends into the recess .29 in the side of the cover 18,.as shown best in the drawings in Figures 2 to 4 inclusive.

When the disk 27 is rotated to the position shown inv Figure 5 of the drawings, the rocking arm 24 is in position where it may be rocked to extend the end 25 thereof into the recess 30, as shown in Figure 6 of the drawings. hen this happens, the latch head 23 moves to the right, in Figure 5, out of engagement with the recess 29 thus releasing the cover 18 to permit the presser head 31 to ride the inclined surface 32 and thrust the lower end of the cover 18 outward. Thismovement of the presser head 31 is caused by the spring 33 and the rock-,

er shaft 34.

The shaft 34 forms an anchorage for one end of the spring 33, the other end of the spring 33, being held by the screw in the bottom 20 of the" apparatus as can be best seen inFig'ures 2 and 4. of the drawings.

(The shaft 34 has a cut-away portion 36 and a projection or screw head 37 arranged substantially diametrically opposite on said shaft (See Figure 8 of the drawings.) The head 31 has a laterally extended foot piece 38 which normally rests within the cut-- away portion 36 and in the path of the screw head 37 to be engaged thereby when the shaft 34 is rotated by the spring 33. The n'iovement of the head 31 is governed by the arm 39 on which the head 31 and foot 38 are integrally formed and which is pivoted on a screw40, as shown best in Figure 8.

The disk 27 has a pocket 41 formed therein, and the pocket 41 has extended therethrough a slot 42 through which extends a seriesof pins 43 so arrangedas to form a bottom or stops for regulating the introduction of the eoins44 when the same are intro duced in the machine tojoperate the same.

As seen best in Figure 3 of the drawings, when the coin 44 is first introduced in the pocket 4l, the insertion thereof is limited by the pins 43. The pins 43 are stationarily mounted in the bottom 20 of the device, and l a bracket 45 structurally connecting the various elements in operative relation to one another. The pins 43 are so arranged that as the disk27 rotates carrying the coin 44 therein, the coin 44 is rocked over or upon one of the pins toward. the end 26 of the rocking arm 24 as will be seen by comparing Figures 5 and 6, wherein is illustrated the radial movement of the coin during the rotation of the disk 27 from the position shown in Fig. 5 to the position shown in Fig. 6.

pocket 41 when inserted therein. When now the disk 27 is rotated using for that purpose a handle 47, theprotruding edge of the coin engages the end 26 of the arm 24, and with a cam-like action thereon, moves it from the path of the coin, rocking the arm 24 on the pivot shaft 48 of the said arm.

By referring to Figure 5 of thedrawings it will be seen that when the coin 44 deflects the end 26 of the arm 24, the recess 30 is disposed opposite the end 25 of the said arm, permitting thereby the end 25 to move into the said recess and thus allowing the arm 24 to rock sufficiently to remove the latch head 23 from the recess 29in the cover 18. Until thus removed the latch head 23 has rested upon and in the path of the arm 39. The arm 39 has been pressed upward by the screw head 37'which bears upon the foot 38 with the full, pressure of the spring. 33. The latch head 23 being removed from the path of the arm 39 as above set forth, the spring 33 is permitted to rotate the shaft 34 and to carry the screw head 37 directly beneath the foot 38, elevating thereby, the head 31 to press upon the inclined surface 32 of the cover 18 with the effect that the same is thrown forward to the open position of the apparatus. Y

The screw 37 and the foot 38 form a stop to preventthe further rotation of the shaft 34, the head 31 being disposed directly in the path of the inclined surface 32 to thereafter prevent the closure of the cover except as and when the shaft 34 is turned back to place the cut-away portion 36 below the foot 38. This is accomplished bythe key 49 when the same is inserted in the slot provided in the auxiliary shaft 50.

The end 51 of theshaft 34 is slotted to receive the key. 49 and a bar 52 is extended across the entrance thereof to provide a selective'method whereby a foreign or unauthorized instrument cannot be introduced to engage the end 51 of the shaft 34. When the proper key 49 is used, the shaft 34 may be turned to present the cut-away portion 36' in the path of the foot 38. If now, pressure is applied to close the cover 18, thehead 31' will be pressed out-of the path of the inclined surface 32, and the arm 39 is lowered below the arm 24. The arm 39 has been interposed in the path of the arm'24 during the period when the head 31 has been elevated, and the end 25 of the arm 24 has rested in the recess 30 and prevented the spring 52 from rotating thedisk 27 to its initial position where the pocket 41 is opposite the opening 53 in the face plate54 of i the lower compartment of the apparatus.

When new the arm 39 is depressed and re moved from the path of the arm 24, the spring 52 is at liberty to re-rock the arm 24" to press outward the end 25 thereof and to re-insert the latch head 23 to engage the re cess 29. This returns the-coin 44 to the front of the apparatus. and with such force to eject the same to the pouch or hand of the attendant who has rotated the shaft 34 bymeans of the key 49. This is generally done fiv i I such as that the coin or token by which the apparatus is initially openediis not deposited within the machine but is delivered to the attendant when the particular chamber or container froinwhich the goods have been extracted is being reloaded. Also itwill be T observed'that the cover ofthe container cannot be pressed into locking position without the assistance of the keyof the attendant, thus preventing concealment of the operation of the apparatus. V a i Fnrther, as theapparaths returns the identical coin or token with which it was operated for the delivery of the goodsbeing purveyed, detection of fraud and identification of the perpetration thereof is rendered possible and immediate.

When it'is desired'to; equip the apparatus so that a larger coin or tokenmay beused. as for instance, a half dollar of money of the United States, the pocket 41 is increased inwidth, the pins 13 remaining in the same position. .This permits the larger coin to rest on'the lower or innermost pin 43 as the disk 27 is being rotated, with the result that the edge of the larger coin is protruded from the pocket to the same extent that the smaller coin was protruded, with the result that the action of the larger coin upon the acting members of the apparatus, is the same as that above described; In both instances it will be realized that the coin or'token turns about the in 43. v

The rack'15 as a forwardly extending shelf 55, at the outward edge of which is a curled portion 56arranged to form a channel to receive a flange57 with which each of the panels 54 is provided. From this it will be seen that when the apparatus isinstalled, the flange 57 of each container is inserted in the channel formed by the curled edge 56 and is then pressed to an upright position where the holes in the back of the receptacle 17 and in the rack 15 coincide to receive the screw 16. a

When the screw 16 is driven home, the receptacle cannot be removed except when open, and this is after the contents of the receptacle have been removed.

The receptacles are individual or separate, thereby permitting the replacement or re newal of any one of a group ofrecep'tacles without disturbing or withdrawing the same from active service. 7 Y

In Figure 10 of the drawings, a modified form of the bottom of the lower chamber of the receptacle is shown. In this form a front upturned flange 58 is provided having a perforation 59 to receive a pin 60 in the front panel 54 of the receptacle.

structure in any -TPins 61 are provided in the loweredge of the side wallsv ofzthe lowerchamber of the receptacle to be engaged by the bayonet slots 62 with which the modified form of the'bottom is provided. v w

An opening 63 is provided inthe rear edge of the modified form of the bottom to permit the head of the screw64' .to passwhen the receptacle is lifted fromengagement:with-t-he' shank thereof, forr it is the slip engagement with the screw 64 upon which the modified form of the receptacle turns for holding the lower end thereof in service.- After the screw 64 has been engagedand the screw 16 has been driven as in the approved form, it will be observed that the receptacle cannot be removed from'arflat rack.

- 'lheracks 15 are securedrto thestanding approved manner.

lclaim- 1. A vending machine comprising a receptacle having. a closure member, a. locking mechanism for said closure member 'embodying a latch member, and a rotary disc having a pocket for a coin' and having a notch on its periphery into which a portion of the latch member moves to permit the coin-to release said-latch whenthe .disc has rotated a predetermined amount.

2. A vending machine comprising a receptacle having a closure mem'ber;a locking mechanism for said closure member embodying a latch member and a rotary container adapted for employing a coin when extended beyond the periphery thereof for removing said latch member from locking engage ment with said closure member, said container embodying a pivoted disk, said disk embodying a pocket for a coin, and means associated therewith for moving the coin in the direction relatively radial to the disk as the diskis rotated for removing the latch 'the direction relatively radial to the disk as the disk is rotated for removing the latch from locking engagement with said closure member, said means embodyinga stationary pin disposed adjacent the pivot of said disk in spaced relation therefrom for engaging the coin to rock the same over said pin toward said latch. v V

4; A vending machine comprisin a re ceptacle havinga closure member; adooking from looking engagement with said closure member. r

mechanism for said closure member embodying a latch member and a rotary container adapted for employing a coin When extended beyond the periphery thereof for removing said latch member from locking engagement With said closure men'iber; and auxiliary locking means adapted to be moved in the path of said latch for preventing the return thereof to active position When and as the same is removed from engagement With said closure member, said auxiliary means being adapted for removal from the path of saidlatch by pressure exerted thereon by said closure member.

5. A vending machine comprising a receptacle having a closure member; a locking mechanism for said closure member embodying a latch membe and a rotary container adapted foremploying a coin when extended beyond the periphery thereof for removing said latch member from looking engagement With said closure member; and auxiliary locking means adapted to be moved in the path of said latch "for preventing the return thereof to active position When and as the same is removed from engagement with said closuremember, said auxiliary means being adapted for removal from the path of said latch by pressure exerted thereon by said closure member;'

and-a key operated mechanism adapted for interposition in the path of said auxiliary means for preventing its Withdrawal from the path of said latch;

6. A vending machine comprising a receptacle having a closure member; a lockingmechanism for said closure member embodying a latch member and a rotary con- 'tainer adapted for employing a coin when extended beyond the periphery thereof for removing said latch member from looking engagement With said closure member; and auxiliary locking means adapted to be moved in the path of said latch for prevent ing the return thereof to active position when and as the same is removed from engagement With said closure member, said auxiliary means being adapted for removal from the path of said latch by pressure exerted thereon by said closure member; and a key operated mechanism adapted for in terposition in the path of said'auxiliary' means for )reventing its Withdrawal from the path of saidlatch; and resilient means for normally rotating said shaft to place the extension thereof in the path of said auxiliary means.

RICHARD s. ARTHUR. 

